August 30th, 2013Smith Captures
His Second Straight Spencer Championship by Gary M. SpaidRace Officials saw the rain coming
and speed up their program last Friday. They were able to
complete the entire program just as the rains began to fall. Not
only were race winners recognized, but the 2013 track champions
were also crowned (unofficially, as points have to be reviewed
by NASCAR).

The 35-lap NASCAR Sunoco Modified feature saw Ron Smith take the lead
from his pole starting position. He was able to hold Timex
Morgan at bay, as his brother, Rusty Smith, started to work his
way through traffic towards the front. On lap ten, Rusty passed
Morgan and took off after his brother. On lap 13, Rusty used an
outside pass exiting the fourth turn to take the lead.

On Smith’s tail the entire time he was moving through the pack, was
points rival Kevin Timmerman. Timmerman was out to retake the
championship he lost to Smith last year. Timmerman ran second
for the final half of the race. His only hope of a championship
lay with something happening to Smith, like a flat tire or an
engine problem. But nothing happened and Smith came home the
winner and the 2013 Sunoco Modified track champion.

He was followed across the finish line by Timmerman, Ron Smith, Morgan
and Matt Lees, in a race that ran green-to-checkers.

“The car was great tonight,” stated Smith after the races. “The worst
finish we got all year here was a fourth. It has been a good
year for our team.”

The Super Stocks were on hand to run a 17-lap memorial race for former
driver and crewman, John Parone, who passed away this past year.
Parone’s number when he raced was 17, thus the feature lap
distance.

Ironically Brian Gordon, number 17, took the early lead in the race. The
yellow flew on lap 3, when Phil Alhart and Willie Strusz looped
around in the second turn. During this yellow it was noted that
leader Gordon, had a flat right front tire, so he pitted and
relinquished the lead to Chris Vogler.

Charging through the field was Strusz as he was vying for the Super Stock
title with Mitchell Wright. Strusz worked his way to the front
in just three laps. He took second and started to chase down
Vogler. On lap ten, Strusz ducked low in the second turn, but
fell short of completing the pass. He would try the low side
again two laps later down the back stretch and made it stick
this time for the lead.

The checkers flew on lap 17, with Strusz taking the feature win. He was
followed by newcomer T.J. Cochrane, who grabbed second on the
final lap. Vogler finished third with Wright and Joe Miller
rounding out the top five. Wright’s third place finished earned
him his first track title.

“I am so proud to take this win,” commented Strusz. “We raced against
Parone, he helped us in the pit area. He was a real good person
and great competitor.”

The Auto Value Four Cylinders feature went yellow immediately with two
cars looping out in the first turn at the start of the race.
Once underway, Shaun Frarey passed Jennifer Dennie on the second
lap and like shot out of a cannon, was gone.

A yellow on lap six, closed the field back together, but Frarey didn’t
waste any time in stretching out his lead again.

This division offered the closest point battle of the night with the top
two drivers, Kevin Bertolone and Zach Willis, entering the night
just one point apart. As for Bertolone he suffered an official’s
call of jumping the restart and fell back during the race. He
tried to recover but never seemed to get going again. Willis on
the other hand charged through the field into second and tried
to chase down Frarey, to no avail.

Frarey took the win followed by Willis, Joe Clark, Beth Dennie and Travis
Montgomery. Willis’s run, plus heat win (worth 5 points) earned
him the title by 17 points over Bertolone and Clark.

The INEX Legends feature also ran green-to-checkers, with Bryce Norton
taking the lead from Brad Salatino on lap two. Salatino just
needed to finish close to Norton to win the points title, so he
was not in a huge hurry to retake the lead. Norton picked up his
third feature win in a row. But Salatino’s second place finish
earned him the track title.

Vern LeFave, Breanne Gilligan and Kyle Hafemann rounded out the top five
finishers in the 15-lap feature.
The final feature of the evening was a 15-lap Super Six run.
Rains would shorten this race to just 12 laps. But the entire
distance was led by the 2011 track champion, Tim Faro. Faro took
the feature win and regained his title from Brian Hallett.
Hallett who was a points contender, finished a distant ninth on
the field.

Following Faro across the finish line were Adam VanHall, Brandon Allen,
Keith Butler Jr. and Van Grant.
Next Friday, September 6, is the final night of NASCAR racing at
Spencer Speedway’s oval for 2013. On tap is the 2nd annual Fall
Open. That night the Sunoco Modifieds will be running a
75-lapper and the Super Stocks a 50-lap Big 10 Series race. Also
running will be 20-lappers for the Super Sixes and Auto Value
Scorpion 4-Cylinders. The NY-PA Midgets will also be making a
special appearance.

You can bring this past week’s rain stub to save $2 off admission to the
next week’s races.

Spencer Speedway is located just fifteen minutes east of Rochester , NY ,
along Route 104 in the Town of Williamson . Spencer Speedway is
the local “ NASC AR Place to Race” for Central New York in 2013.
Points earned each week at Spencer are counted into the national
NASC AR Whelen All-American Points.